After initially concluding these are silly wastes of money, I succumbed to the charm and bought one in .44 Magnum. Have only had it to the range once so far, but accuracy results were quite promising. I'm adding a rear aperture sight from Stevesgunz.com and initial fiddling suggests this is a winner.
I'll post load and shooting technique results as I work with it.

Did Steve McQueen ever use the sights?

It makes for a nice retro PCC; but for another thread.

The Bounty Hunter was one of my childhood heroes. BUTTTTT, what in th HECK is it good for?

I think it would be neat to buy one and put a full buttstock on it and make a lever action SBR.

quote:

BUTTTTT, what in th HECK is it good for?

So you think that a firearm has to have a defined use in order to exist? "Well buddy we don't think anyone needs an AR-15, so you can't buy them any more." Sometimes just wanting it is enough justification to own it. Maybe someone just wants to dress up like Josh and play 'bounty hunter' around the house with an empty gun. Beats pedophilia....

But seriously, for a practical use a 'house gun' comes to mind. It would be better than any revolver under stress - easier to hit with yet still handy. Ammunition chosen to suit the need, and plenty of intimidation factor from cycling the action and the big hole in the barrel.



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Well I think we would all agree that a gun can be a TOOL, a TOY, or BOTH, depending on how it is used.

I can remember when I was a kid there were toy lever actions sold that had a screw through the trigger guard, or a fold out flap in the trigger guard, that when activated caused the rifle to fire when the lever was operated, and then closed, just like Lucas McCains rifle [The Rifleman].

I think IF I had one of these Ranch Hands, I would have something like that Professionaly installed.
I think it would add to the fun [toy] and to actual use up close under stress[tool]uses of the gun.

So Bill keep us updated on your shooting and use of the Ranch Hand, both as a "Toy" and as a "Tool".

Random thoughts...

Positive aspects of the Ranch Hand as a tool.

It is a 44 Mag, and has a longish barrel for a "handgun" and no barrel cylinder gap, so you get good velocity with your different loads.
You can shoot light loads, to loads capable of killing certainly any animal in North America.

As Bill's targets show it does have good accuracy.

As a Lever action it will be reliable and rugged.
Also you can reload the magazine with the gun cocked.

It is slim, trim and very short, so it can be stored, carried, and concealed in many places.

It may sound funny, but this Ranch Hand does not even look as evil as a regular revolver.

After all it is "just a little lever action"...

OKAY! OKAY!
We seriously need a sarcasm font!
I didn't question its legitimacy, for gosh's sake. And one of the best reasons for buying a new gun is "because I just want one." I was trying to get some rational idea of why I wanted/needed one!

Guys, I scratched this itch and sold the Ranch Hand, but I would certainly consider owning another. In retrospect it was more practical than it first appeared.